AusHelpVerified knowledge · GermanyDeutsche Version
35/35 facts verifiedlast reviewed 2026-08-28§§ 20, 20a, 20b AufenthG

Residence Status: Job seeker / Opportunity card (Arbeitsplatzsuche / Chancenkarte)

Status ID: RS-006

Slug: job_seeker (must match ResidenceStatus in frontend/src/lib/situation-requirements.ts)

Version: 1.1

Status: Approved — source-reviewed 2026-08-28 (agent fleet, 35/35 facts verified, 5 precision corrections); approved by Nodirbek Saidov 2026-08-28

Primary legal basis: §§ 20, 20a, 20b AufenthG

Jurisdiction: Federal (+ local variation where noted)

Risk level: High

Last reviewed: 2026-08-28

Next review due: 2026-09-25 (file carries volatile figures — 30-day cycle)

Owner: AusHelp Knowledge Team


Scope and disclaimer

Informational guidance only — not legal advice. All claims derive from official public

sources (Level A–C per standards/source-policy.md). Verify critical decisions with the

responsible authority or a qualified immigration advisor.


1. Overview

Two different permits share the "job seeker" label. The app treats them as one status because the

user's situation is identical: a clock is running and there is no job yet.

§ 20 AufenthG (Arbeitsplatzsuche) is the exit ramp. It is for people already in Germany who

have just finished something here — a degree (§ 16b/§ 16c), a research stay (§ 18d/§ 18f), a

qualified Berufsausbildung (§ 16a), a recognition procedure or Berufsausübungserlaubnis (§ 16d),

or a state-recognised assistant/helper training in a health or care profession. It runs up to

18 months (12 + 6 for the assistant/helper group); extension beyond that is excluded by statute.

§ 20a AufenthG (Chancenkarte), in force since 1 June 2024, is the entry ramp: a one-year

search permit obtained either by already being a Fachkraft or by scoring at least six points on

the § 20b table (qualification, language, experience, shortage occupation, age, prior stay in

Germany, joint spouse application). It permits work of up to 20 hours per week plus two-week trial

jobs; a Folge-Chancenkarte of up to two years bridges the gap once a qualified job offer exists

but no other title can yet be issued.

Both are dead-end titles by design. § 20a Abs. 6 switches off § 9 for the Such-Chancenkarte, and

§ 7 Abs. 1 S. 2 Nr. 2 lit. b SGB II names § 20a explicitly to exclude holders from Bürgergeld —

no benefits safety net, no direct road to permanent residence. The whole point is to convert out —

into §§ 18a/18b, § 18g, § 19c, § 16d or § 16a — before the clock stops.

2. Legal basis

ProvisionGovernsSource ID
§ 20 AufenthGPost-study/training/research job-search permit: eligible groups, duration, extension barSRC-145
§ 20a AufenthGChancenkarte: purpose, permitted work, eligibility, conditions, duration, § 9 exclusion, quota powerSRC-176
§ 20b AufenthGPoints criteria and the power to amend the table by RechtsverordnungSRC-177
Anlage zu § 20b AufenthGPoint values per criterion and the MindestpunktzahlSRC-178
§ 2 Abs. 3, Abs. 9–12 AufenthGSecured livelihood; statutory definition of the German language levelsSRC-147
§ 4a AufenthGAccess to Erwerbstätigkeit; the Nebenbestimmung on the card; employer dutiesSRC-132
§ 39 Abs. 3a AufenthGZustimmung der BA for qualified employment under § 20a Abs. 5 S. 2SRC-166
§ 7 Abs. 2 AufenthGPurpose-bound permit; shortening when a condition ceasesSRC-149
§ 8, § 81 Abs. 3–4 AufenthGGeneral extension conditions; Fiktionswirkung when a follow-up title is applied for before expirySRC-003, SRC-002
§ 9 AufenthGSettlement permit — conditions and crediting of prior periodsSRC-146
§ 29 AufenthGFamily reunification to foreign nationals (general rules)SRC-150
§ 7 Abs. 1 S. 2 Nr. 2 lit. b SGB IIExclusion of job-search-only residents and § 20a holders from BürgergeldSRC-151
§ 45 AufenthVFederal fees for issuance and extension of an AufenthaltserlaubnisSRC-124
§§ 16a, 16b, 16d, 18a, 18b, 18g, 19c AufenthGStatuses entered from and converted intoSRC-004

3. Key facts

One row per atomic claim. Verified flips to yes only after /source-review.

#FactValueLegal basisSource IDVerified
3.1§ 20 eligible groupsFive only: completed studies in Germany (§ 16b/§ 16c), completed research (§ 18d/§ 18f), completed qualified Berufsausbildung (§ 16a), qualification recognised or Berufsausübungserlaubnis obtained in Germany (§ 16d), completed assistant/helper training in a state-recognised health or care profession§ 20 Abs. 1 Nr. 1–5SRC-145, SRC-187yes
3.2§ 20 duration — groups 1–4Up to 18 months (Berlin LEA: "usually issued for 18 months")§ 20 Abs. 2SRC-145, SRC-187yes
3.3§ 20 duration — assistant/helper groupUp to 12 months, extendable once by up to 6 months while livelihood stays secured§ 20 Abs. 2SRC-145yes
3.4§ 20 extension barExtension beyond those periods is excluded by statute§ 20 Abs. 2SRC-145, SRC-187yes
3.5§ 20 has no Absatz 3The current § 20 consists of Abs. 1 and Abs. 2 only; the older "§ 20 Abs. 3" post-study wording no longer exists — do not cite it§ 20SRC-145yes
3.6Chancenkarte purposeAufenthaltserlaubnis to search for Erwerbstätigkeit or for measures recognising a foreign professional qualification§ 20a Abs. 1SRC-176yes
3.7Chancenkarte eligibility routesEither the applicant is a Fachkraft, or reaches the minimum points under § 20b§ 20a Abs. 3SRC-176, SRC-186yes
3.8Points route — qualification preconditionState-recognised foreign vocational qualification from training of at least 2 years, or a state-recognised foreign higher-education degree, or a foreign qualification certified by a German Auslandshandelskammer as matching German training requirements§ 20a Abs. 4SRC-176yes
3.9Points route — language preconditionEinfache deutsche Sprachkenntnisse (= A1 per § 2 Abs. 9) or English at B2 CEFR§ 20a Abs. 4, § 2 Abs. 9SRC-176, SRC-147, SRC-186yes
3.10Minimum pointsSix points ("Die Mindestpunktzahl beträgt sechs Punkte")Anlage zu § 20bSRC-178, SRC-186yes
3.11Points tableNr. 1 adaptation measures needed for equivalence 4 · Nr. 2 gute Deutschkenntnisse (B2) 3 · Nr. 3 ausreichende (B1) 2 · Nr. 4 hinreichende (A2) 1 · Nr. 5 English C1 1 · Nr. 6 ≥5 years' relevant experience within the last 7 3 · Nr. 7 ≥2 years within the last 5 2 · Nr. 8 shortage occupation per § 18g Abs. 1 S. 2 Nr. 1 1 · Nr. 9 age ≤35 2 · Nr. 10 age >35 to ≤40 1 · Nr. 11 ≥6 months lawful continuous stay in Germany within the last 5 years 1 · Nr. 12 spouse/partner qualifying and applying jointly 1§ 20b Abs. 1, AnlageSRC-177, SRC-178, SRC-186yes
3.12German language levels are statutory§ 2 defines einfache = A1 (Abs. 9), hinreichende = A2 (Abs. 10), ausreichende = B1 (Abs. 11), gute = B2 (Abs. 11a), beherrscht die deutsche Sprache = C1 (Abs. 12) — the words in § 20a/§ 20b are terms of art, not judgements§ 2 Abs. 9–12SRC-147yes
3.13Points table is amendable by decreeThe Bundesregierung may change the Anlage by Rechtsverordnung to steer labour migration — treat point values as volatile§ 20b Abs. 3SRC-177yes
3.14Chancenkarte duration — search phaseSuch-Chancenkarte up to one year (Berlin LEA: "usually issued for one year")§ 20a Abs. 5SRC-176, SRC-188yes
3.15Chancenkarte duration — follow-upFolge-Chancenkarte up to two years; requires an employment contract or binding job offer for qualified employment plus BA Zustimmung, and only where the Abschnitt-4 (work-title) conditions are not yet met — i.e. no Kapitel 2 Abschnitt 4 title can yet be issued§ 20a Abs. 5, § 39 Abs. 3aSRC-176, SRC-166yes
3.16Folge-Chancenkarte — no Vorrangprüfung§ 39 Abs. 3a conditions the BA's approval only on working conditions no less favourable than for comparable domestic workers; it does not import the § 39 Abs. 3 priority check§ 39 Abs. 3aSRC-166yes
3.17Chancenkarte re-issuanceA new Such-Chancenkarte only after a period abroad (or lawfully in Germany on another basis) lasting at least as long as ("mindestens so lange") the previous Chancenkarte stay — a floor, not an exact match§ 20a Abs. 5SRC-176yes
3.18Work rights — Such-ChancenkarteEmployment averaging at most 20 hours per week, plus Probebeschäftigung of at most two weeks at a time where the trial job is qualified employment, aims at vocational training, or fits a recognition measure§ 20a Abs. 2SRC-176, SRC-186, SRC-188yes
3.19Work rights — Folge-ChancenkarteThe 20-hour restriction of § 20a Abs. 2 does not apply§ 20a Abs. 5SRC-176yes
3.20Work rights — § 20 permit§ 20 has no work clause of its own; the scope follows the § 4a Abs. 1 default and the Nebenbestimmung printed on the card (§ 4a Abs. 3). Berlin LEA states the § 20 permit "entitles the holder to take up any gainful employment" — federal confirmation outstanding (OQ-1)§ 4a Abs. 1, Abs. 3SRC-132, SRC-187yes
3.21Study rightsn/a — neither § 20 nor § 20a is a study title; taking up studies means switching to a study title such as § 16b (switch framing is this file's inference; § 20/§ 20a texts are exhaustively about search/recognition and contain no study clause)§ 20, § 20aSRC-145, SRC-176yes
3.22Self-employment rightsNot granted by § 20a Abs. 2, which permits only dependent employment and trial employment; Berlin LEA states self-employment is prohibited on the Chancenkarte. Whether a separate § 21 permission is ever granted alongside a search permit is unverified (OQ-2)§ 20a Abs. 2SRC-176, SRC-188yes
3.23Family reunification rightsGeneral rules of § 29 apply; §§ 20/20a grant no job-seeker privilege, and secured livelihood plus adequate housing remain general conditions. § 20b Abs. 1 Nr. 12 concerns a spouse applying in parallel — a points criterion, not a reunification right§ 29, § 20b Abs. 1 Nr. 12SRC-150, SRC-177yes
3.24Path to permanent residence — during the permit§ 9 (Niederlassungserlaubnis) does not apply to the Such-Chancenkarte§ 20a Abs. 6SRC-176yes
3.25Path to permanent residence — crediting§ 9 Abs. 4 Nr. 1 credits prior periods holding an Aufenthaltserlaubnis or Niederlassungserlaubnis (capped at 4 years, and only if the person held a Niederlassungserlaubnis at the time of departure); Nr. 2 covers absences (max 6 months), Nr. 3 study/training at half. It names no § 20 or § 20a crediting rule — search time is not credited (OQ-3)§ 9 Abs. 2, Abs. 4SRC-146yes
3.26Travel — SchengenA valid German residence permit allows visa-free stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period in other Schengen states, provided no gainful employment is taken up there — applies only when the title is issued as a passport sticker (Blattvisum); it does NOT substitute for a visa when issued as an Ausweisersatz-format card (AA FAQ), which matters because Berlin LEA can issue this status as an eAT (§ 4.4)Schengen acquis (AA guidance)SRC-153yes
3.27Travel — while a follow-up application is pendingWhether a Fiktionsbescheinigung permits re-entry must be checked with the Ausländerbehörde before travellingAA guidance; § 81SRC-153, SRC-002yes
3.28Financial requirement — legal testLivelihood must be secured for both § 20 and § 20a; § 2 Abs. 3 requires cover without recourse to public funds, including adequate health insurance. Contribution-based benefits and Kindergeld/Elterngeld do not count against it§ 20 Abs. 2, § 20a Abs. 4, § 2 Abs. 3SRC-145, SRC-176, SRC-147yes
3.29Financial requirement — current figure (HIGH VOLATILITY)ZAV states €1,091 per month for 2026, evidenced by blocked account or Verpflichtungserklärung. Berlin LEA names no euro amount and accepts income, reserves or third-party support§ 2 Abs. 3SRC-186, SRC-188yes
3.30Access to benefits — BürgergeldExcluded: § 7 Abs. 1 S. 2 Nr. 2 lit. b SGB II names foreigners whose residence right arises solely from job-seeking, training- or study-place seeking, or from an Aufenthaltserlaubnis nach § 20a AufenthG§ 7 Abs. 1 S. 2 Nr. 2 lit. b SGB IISRC-151yes
3.31Access to benefits — practical effectClaiming subsistence benefits also breaks the secured-livelihood condition both permits are issued under, so a claim is a status risk, not only a benefits question§ 2 Abs. 3SRC-147, SRC-145, SRC-176yes
3.32Loss / revocation — condition ceasesThe permit is purpose-bound; where an essential issuance condition lapses the authority may shorten the validity period, including retroactively§ 7 Abs. 2SRC-149yes
3.33Loss / revocation — exceeding work limitsWorking beyond § 20a Abs. 2 is work outside the title's scope; § 4a Abs. 3 makes the permitted scope binding and § 4a Abs. 5 obliges the employer to check it and to report early termination within four weeks§ 20a Abs. 2, § 4a Abs. 3, Abs. 5SRC-176, SRC-132yes
3.34Quota riskThe Bundesregierung may cap the annual number of Chancenkarten by Rechtsverordnung; no cap was mentioned by ZAV for 2026 and none is confirmed either way (OQ-4)§ 20a Abs. 7SRC-176, SRC-186yes
3.35Special obligationsNo §§ 20/20a-specific reporting duty appears in the statute; the employer's § 4a Abs. 5 duties apply, and Berlin requires main residence in Berlin and a current email address for the online procedure. Anmeldung, health insurance and Steuer-ID are universal-layer requirements, not restated here§ 4a Abs. 5SRC-132, SRC-188yes

4. Processes

Process IDProcessTriggerAuthorityWorkflow fileStatus
RS-006-P1Chancenkarte — first issuance from abroad (national visa route)Fachkraft status or ≥6 points; no job yetGerman mission abroad → Ausländerbehördenot yet built
RS-006-P2Chancenkarte — issuance in Germany (status switch)Holder of a valid title under Kapitel 2 Abschnitt 3/4 wants to searchAusländerbehörde (Berlin: LEA, online only)not yet built
RS-006-P3§ 20 job-search permit after graduation / training / research / recognitionSuccessful completion of the qualifying stayAusländerbehördenot yet built
RS-006-P4Folge-ChancenkarteQualified job offer exists, but no § 4 title can yet be issuedAusländerbehörde + Bundesagentur für Arbeitnot yet built
RS-006-P5Transition OUT — to a work title (§§ 18a, 18b, 18g, 19c)Signed contract matching the qualificationAusländerbehörde (+ BA where approval required)not yet built
RS-006-P6Transition OUT — to recognition (§ 16d) or training (§ 16a)Recognition gap identified; training place offeredAusländerbehördenot yet built
RS-006-P7Clock expiry / no job foundPermit end date reachedAusländerbehördenot yet built
RS-006-P8Universal arrival chainArrival / new addressBürgeramt · Krankenkasse · bank · BZStworkflows/anmeldung-berlin.md, workflows/health-insurance-germany.md, workflows/bank-account-germany.md, workflows/steuer-id-germany.mdbuilt — Draft

4.1 Transitions INTO this status

Into § 20 (SRC-145, SRC-187): § 16b/§ 16c studies → Abs. 1 Nr. 1 · § 18d/§ 18f research → Nr. 2 ·

§ 16a Berufsausbildung → Nr. 3 · § 16d or a Berufsausübungserlaubnis → Nr. 4 · state-recognised

assistant/helper training in health or care → Nr. 5. Into § 20a (SRC-176): from abroad, or from any

valid title under Kapitel 2 Abschnitt 3 or 4, if livelihood is secured and either Fachkraft status

or ≥6 points exists (§ 20a Abs. 3–4).

4.2 Transitions OUT of this status

To §§ 18a/18b (Fachkraft) on a matching contract · § 18g Blaue Karte EU where the salary threshold

and degree conditions are met (see blue_card.md) · § 19c per Beschäftigungsverordnung · § 16d

recognition or § 16a training where the qualification is not yet equivalent · § 21 for a business

rather than a job · Folge-Chancenkarte (§ 20a Abs. 5) when a contract exists but no § 4 title fits

yet (SRC-004). All are new titles, not extensions.

4.3 Applying before expiry (P4–P6)

A follow-up application filed before expiry triggers Fiktionswirkung under § 81 Abs. 3–4 (SRC-002),

documented by a Fiktionsbescheinigung. Because neither § 20 nor the Such-Chancenkarte can be

extended as such, that follow-up must be for a different title — filing late leaves no fallback.

In Berlin the online submission itself produces a PDF confirming the current title stays valid past

its original expiry (SRC-188).

4.4 Fees and processing (Berlin, HIGH VOLATILITY)

§ 45 AufenthV sets the federal amounts: €100 issuance, €96 extension up to three months, €93 longer

extension, €98 change of purpose (SRC-124). Berlin LEA charges, for both the § 20 permit and the

Chancenkarte, €56 (sticker) or €100 (eAT), €54–€98 when switching from another employment title,

€27.60 (Turkish nationals under 24) / €46 (24 and over), plus €6 for the digital photo. Sticker

possible on the day, eAT 4–6 weeks (SRC-187, SRC-188).

4.5 Clock expiry (P7)

§ 20 Abs. 2 excludes extension beyond the statutory maximum; § 20a Abs. 5 makes a fresh

Such-Chancenkarte conditional on an equivalent period abroad or lawfully in Germany on another

basis. The realistic options before the end date are P5, P6, or departure.

5. Authorities and organisations

Org IDNameRole for this statusJurisdictionChannel (CH-id)Source ID
RS-006-A1Ausländerbehörde (Berlin: Landesamt für Einwanderung, LEA)Sole deciding authority: issuance, follow-up titles, purpose changes, Fiktionsbescheinigung; in Berlin the Chancenkarte route is online onlyMunicipalCH-008SRC-188, SRC-187
RS-006-A2Bundesagentur für Arbeit (incl. ZAV)Zustimmung under § 39 Abs. 3a for the Folge-Chancenkarte and for work titles; federal Chancenkarte information and job placementFederalCH-002SRC-166, SRC-186
RS-006-A3German missions abroad / Auswärtiges AmtNational visa for the Chancenkarte entry route; travel and re-entry guidanceFederalSRC-153
RS-006-A4Recognition bodies (ZAB, chambers, Auslandshandelskammern)Equivalence assessment feeding the § 20b points, the § 20a Abs. 4 qualification test and the § 16d routeFederal / chamberSRC-176, SRC-186
RS-006-A5KrankenkasseMandatory third party: insurance proof for issuance (universal layer)FederalCH-007SRC-023

BAMF is deliberately absent: the Ausländerbehörde decides, and the BA is the only federal body in

the decision chain (Folge-Chancenkarte, § 39 Abs. 3a).

6. Common problems

Problem IDProblemWhy it happensSeverityStruggle-map refMitigationWorkflow
RS-006-PR1The clock runs out with no job§ 20 cannot be extended beyond its maximum, and a repeat Such-Chancenkarte requires a matching waiting period⚠⚠Phase 4 → Getting the jobStart the switch (P5/P6) as soon as a contract is realistic; treat the end date as a hard deadline (3.4, 3.17)
RS-006-PR2Working more than 20 h/week on a ChancenkarteThe cap is a weekly average across all employers, easily breached with two part-time jobs or overtime⚠⚠Phase 4 → Employment rights and dutiesTrack hours across every employer; the card's Nebenbestimmung is the binding text (3.18, 3.33)
RS-006-PR3Assuming Bürgergeld is available while searchingThe status is called "job seeker", so people assume Jobcenter support follows⚠⚠Phase 5 → Bürgergeld / Jobcenter ⚠⚠§ 7 Abs. 1 S. 2 Nr. 2 lit. b SGB II names § 20a explicitly (3.30); a claim also breaks the livelihood condition (3.31)
RS-006-PR4Points miscounted at applicationSeveral criteria are mutually exclusive (Nr. 2/3/4, Nr. 6/7, Nr. 9/10) and the table is amendable by decreePhase 1 → Visa and entryRecount against the Anlage and recheck the table version on the day (3.11, 3.13)
RS-006-PR5Qualification not recognised in timeRecognition runs on its own timeline and gates both the points route and the switch to §§ 18a/18b⚠⚠Phase 4 → Getting the jobStart recognition before entry; § 16d exists precisely for this gap (P6)
RS-006-PR6Financing proof rejectedThe mission abroad and the local Ausländerbehörde apply different evidence standards, and no euro figure is fixed in statutePhase 1 → Visa and entryConfirm the accepted form and current amount with the deciding authority (3.29, OQ-5)
RS-006-PR7Freelancing on a ChancenkarteThe permit reads as "search for Erwerbstätigkeit", which people take to include self-employment⚠⚠Phase 4 → Self-employment trackBerlin LEA prohibits self-employment on this title (3.22); a § 21 route is a separate application
RS-006-PR8Trial job treated as ordinary employmentThe two-week Probebeschäftigung has conditions attached (qualified / training-aimed / recognition-fitting)Phase 4 → Getting the jobKeep the trial inside two weeks and inside the qualifying purposes (3.18)
RS-006-PR9Travelling while a follow-up title is pendingRe-entry on a Fiktionsbescheinigung is not automaticPhase 3 → Residence and permitsAsk the Ausländerbehörde before booking (3.27)

7. Documents

Doc IDDocumentGerman nameNeeded forIssuersatisfiedBy id
RS-006-D1Residence permit cardAufenthaltstitel (eAT) — Chancenkarte or § 20 permitP2–P7Ausländerbehördelea, residence_permit
RS-006-D2Proof of fundsFinanzierungsnachweis / Sperrkonto / VerpflichtungserklärungP1–P4Bank / sponsorblocked_account, financing_proof
RS-006-D3Degree or qualification certificateHochschulabschluss / Berufsabschluss (+ translation)P1–P6Awarding institution
RS-006-D4Recognition / equivalence assessmentAnerkennungsbescheid / ZeugnisbewertungP1, P3, P5, P6ZAB, chamber, Land authoritydegree_recognition
RS-006-D5Language certificateSprachzertifikat (CEFR-graded German or English)P1 (points route)Test provider
RS-006-D6Proof of professional experienceArbeitszeugnisse / BeschäftigungsnachweiseP1 (points route)Former employers
RS-006-D7Employment contract or binding job offerArbeitsvertrag / verbindliches ArbeitsplatzangebotP4, P5Employeremployment_contract
RS-006-D8Valid passportReisepassP1–P7Home-country authority
RS-006-D9Address registration and housing proofAnmeldebestätigung / Mietvertrag mit MietnachweisP2–P6 (universal layer + Berlin)Bürgeramt / landlordanmeldung, meldebescheinigung
RS-006-D10Health insurance proofKrankenversicherungsnachweisP1–P6 (universal layer)Krankenkassekrankenkasse, insurance_confirmation
RS-006-D11Fictional certificateFiktionsbescheinigungbridging P4–P6Ausländerbehörde
RS-006-D12BA approvalZustimmung der Bundesagentur für ArbeitP4, P5Bundesagentur für Arbeit

8. Sources

Source IDTitlePublisherURLLevelLast checked
SRC-002§ 81 AufenthG — Beantragung des AufenthaltstitelsBMJ / Bundesamt für Justizhttps://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/aufenthg_2004/__81.htmlA2026-08-26
SRC-003§ 8 AufenthG — Verlängerung des AufenthaltstitelsBMJ / Bundesamt für Justizhttps://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/aufenthg_2004/__8.htmlA2026-08-26
SRC-004AufenthG — full textBMJ / Bundesamt für Justizhttps://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/aufenthg_2004/BJNR195010004.htmlA2026-08-26
SRC-023§ 5 SGB V — VersicherungspflichtBMJ / Bundesamt für Justizhttps://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/sgb_5/__5.htmlA2026-08-26
SRC-153FAQ: Auslandsreise als Ausländer mit Wohnsitz in DeutschlandAuswärtiges Amthttps://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/de/service/fragenkatalog-node/26-visadrittstaaten-606520B2026-08-26
SRC-145§ 20 AufenthG — ArbeitsplatzsucheBMJ / Bundesamt für Justizhttps://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/aufenthg_2004/__20.htmlA2026-08-26
SRC-176§ 20a AufenthG — Chancenkarte; VerordnungsermächtigungBMJ / Bundesamt für Justizhttps://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/aufenthg_2004/__20a.htmlA2026-08-26
SRC-177§ 20b AufenthG — Punktevergabe für die ChancenkarteBMJ / Bundesamt für Justizhttps://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/aufenthg_2004/__20b.htmlA2026-08-26
SRC-178Anlage (zu § 20b) AufenthG — PunktetabelleBMJ / Bundesamt für Justizhttps://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/aufenthg_2004/anlage.htmlA2026-08-26
SRC-147§ 2 AufenthG — Begriffsbestimmungen (Abs. 3 Lebensunterhalt; Abs. 9–12 Sprachniveaus)BMJ / Bundesamt für Justizhttps://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/aufenthg_2004/__2.htmlA2026-08-26
SRC-132§ 4a AufenthG — Zugang zur ErwerbstätigkeitBMJ / Bundesamt für Justizhttps://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/aufenthg_2004/__4a.htmlA2026-08-26
SRC-149§ 7 AufenthG — AufenthaltserlaubnisBMJ / Bundesamt für Justizhttps://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/aufenthg_2004/__7.htmlA2026-08-26
SRC-146§ 9 AufenthG — NiederlassungserlaubnisBMJ / Bundesamt für Justizhttps://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/aufenthg_2004/__9.htmlA2026-08-26
SRC-166§ 39 AufenthG — Zustimmung der Bundesagentur für ArbeitBMJ / Bundesamt für Justizhttps://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/aufenthg_2004/__39.htmlA2026-08-26
SRC-151§ 7 SGB II — LeistungsberechtigteBMJ / Bundesamt für Justizhttps://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/sgb_2/__7.htmlA2026-08-26
SRC-124§ 45 AufenthV — Gebühren für die AufenthaltserlaubnisBMJ / Bundesamt für Justizhttps://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/aufenthv/__45.htmlA2026-08-26
SRC-186Die Chancenkarte — ZAV Newsletter 02/2026Bundesagentur für Arbeit (ZAV)https://www.arbeitsagentur.de/vor-ort/zav/working-and-living-in-germany/newsletter-iss/02-2026/chancenkarteB2026-08-26
SRC-187Residence permit to seek for a job following a stay in GermanyLandesamt für Einwanderung Berlin (LEA)https://service.berlin.de/dienstleistung/324661/en/C2026-08-26
SRC-188Opportunity card (Chancenkarte) — Service BerlinLandesamt für Einwanderung Berlin (LEA)https://service.berlin.de/dienstleistung/354301/en/C2026-08-26
SRC-150§ 29 AufenthG — Familiennachzug zu AusländernBMJ / Bundesamt für Justizhttps://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/aufenthg_2004/__29.htmlA2026-08-26

9. Open questions and uncertainty

  1. Work rights on the § 20 permit (3.20): § 20 has no Erwerbstätigkeit clause. Berlin LEA (Level C) says the permit entitles the holder to any gainful employment; no Level A/B confirmation was obtained, so this must not be stated as federal law until verified.
  2. Self-employment (3.22): Berlin LEA prohibits it on the Chancenkarte. Whether other Länder agree, and whether a parallel § 21 Abs. 6 permission is ever granted, is unverified.
  3. Crediting toward § 9 (3.25): § 9 Abs. 4 does not name §§ 20/20a periods; that search time is uncredited was inferred from statutory silence, not from a positive source.
  4. Chancenkarte quota (3.34): § 20a Abs. 7 empowers an annual cap by Rechtsverordnung. No decree was found and ZAV mentions none for 2026 — absence of evidence, not evidence of absence.
  5. Livelihood figure (3.29) — HIGH VOLATILITY: €1,091/month is ZAV's stated 2026 figure (SRC-186, Level B). Make it in Germany was bot-walled on 2026-08-26, so no second federal page could confirm it, and Berlin LEA names no amount. Re-verify within 30 days; never quote it as a statutory minimum — § 2 Abs. 3 fixes a test, not a number.
  6. Berlin fee spread (4.4): the €54–€98 band for switching from another employment title comes from the LEA page without a per-case breakdown.
  7. Nr. 8 shortage occupations (3.11): the criterion points to § 18g Abs. 1 S. 2 Nr. 1; that occupation list was not fetched and its 2026 content is unverified.
  8. Local variation: only Berlin was checked. Fees, online-only routing, the self-employment ban and the 4–6 week eAT wait are Berlin statements, not federal rules.

10. Change log

DateVersionChangeAuthor
2026-08-261.0Initial draft — §§ 20, 20a, 20b, the Anlage points table, § 2 Abs. 3/9–12, § 4a, § 7, § 9, § 39 Abs. 3a, § 7 SGB II and § 45 AufenthV verified against gesetze-im-internet.de; ZAV 02/2026 and Berlin LEA pages added for procedure, fees and the 2026 livelihood figureagent

AusHelp provides information and calculation against published criteria — not legal advice (keine Rechtsberatung). Final decisions rest with the German authorities. For individual cases contact the responsible authority or the free migration counselling services (MBE/JMD). This page is a free public reference; AusHelp is an independent commercial project and is not affiliated with any German authority.

Generated 2026-08-28 from the AusHelp knowledge engine. Every claim carries its source; sources are re-checked on a weekly cycle (statutes every 90 days, official guidance every 30, volatile figures every 14).

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